Dial mechanism for knitting machine

ABSTRACT

A DIAL MECHANISM FOR A KNITTING MACHINE COMPRISES A DIAL MEMBER ROTATABLE THROUGH A PLURALITY OF KNITTING STATIONS. KNITTING NEEDLES ARE CARRIED BY THE DIAL MEMBER. EACH OF THE KNITTING NEEDLES HAS A NEEDLE-MOVING JACK ASSOCIATED THEREWITH. CERTAIN OF THE NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS ARE LONG BUTT JACKS AND CERTAIN OF THE OTHER NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS ARE SHORT BUTT JACKS. CAM MEANS ARE LOCATED AT EACH KNITTING STATION AND DEFINE A KNITTING CAM TRACK AND A WELTING CAM TRACK, RESPECTIVELY, INTO WHICH BUTTS ON THE NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS MOVE, DEPENDING UPON THE POSITION OF THE NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH EACH STATION. AN ELECTROMAGNETIC SELECTOR MECHANISM IS PROVIDED AT EACH STATION FOR VARYING THE POSITION OF THE NEEDLE-MOVING JACKS RELATIVE TO THEIR ASSOCIATED NEEDLE TO CONTROL THE OPERATION OF THE NEEDLES IN THE STATION.

Nov. 16, 1971 H. PAEPKE DIAL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINE 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1969 kw w ww wsfi flrym ME M kk k m wwm kfIWN M IE @QE QUM/ H Nov. 16, 1971 H. PAEPKE I 3,620,047

DIAL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 19, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 27 F H x 7 9 7 60b 2 e r-N Q 4 ,z 55, "42 PM 2% /5 1 ///j /8 LL! uATTU/PA/EYS Nov. 16, 1971 H. PAEPKE DIAL MECHANISM FOR KNITTING MACHINE3 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 19. 1969 I 'llll III //v VEA/ TOR FIG .5HORST- PAEPKE 5 Y ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,620,047 DIAL MECHANIMFOR KNITTING MACHINE Horst Paepke, Rottenburg (Neckar), Germany,assignor to The Warner & Swasey Company, Cleveland, Ohio Filed May 19,1969, Ser. No. 825,867 Int. Cl. D04b 9/06, 9/38 U.S. Cl. 66-25 4 ClaimsABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A dial mechanism for a knitting machinecomprises a dial member rotatable through a plurality of knittingstations. Knitting needles are carried by the dial member. Each 'of theknitting needles has a needle-moving jack associated therewith. Certainof the needle-moving jacks are long butt jacks and certain of the otherneedle-moving jacks are short butt jacks. Cam means are located at eachknitting station and define a knitting cam track and a welting camtrack, respectively, into which butts on the needle-moving jacks move,depending upon the position of the needle-moving jacks as they movethrough each station. An electromagnetic selector mechanism is providedat each station for varying the position of the needle-moving jacksrelative to their associated needle to control the operation of theneedles in the station.

The present invention relates to a knitting machine, and particularlyrelates to a dial mechanism for a knitting machine which includes a dialmember rotatable through a plurality of knitting stations and knittingneedles carried by the dial member.

Known circular knitting machines include a knitting cylinder whichcarries a plurality of needles which move in a vertical direction as theneedle cylinder rotates. The knitting cylinder has a cooperating dialwhich rotates in a generally horizontal plane and carries dial needleswhich cooperate with the needles on the knitting cylinder to effectknitting of the thread as these parts rotate. As is well known, the dialneedles work on the back or reverse side of the cloth which is beingknitted, while the needles in the knitting cylinder operate on the frontor face side of the cloth and knit the particular pattern which isdesired therein. In a Jacquard-type machine, the needles on the knittingcylinder are selectively moved to control the pattern which is beingknitted on the face side of the cloth, as is well known.

The knitting by the dial needles to form the back side of the cloth isgenerally performed in a uniform manner and is called twilling. In orderto twill the reverse side of a cloth, it requires twice as many feedersor stations as there are colors in the pattern. Moreover, the needleoperation must also be controlled in each station. For example, afour-color pattern requires eight feeders to form a twilled reverseside. A conventional knitting machineis arranged so that there arethirty-six feeders around the dial. Accordingly, if eight feeders arenecesary to repeat a pattern arrangement on the twill side or reverseside of a Jacquard fabric, the pattern can be repeated on the reverseside only four times. This utilizes thirty-two feeders. As a result,four feeders are not needed or used during the operation of the knittingmachine in order to form the pattern on the reverse side. In view of thefact that four feeders are not utilized, this greatly reduces thecapacity of the machine.

The present invention involves a mechanism which provides for the use ofall thirty-six feeder stations around the dial for purposes of providinga twilled reverse side on a four-color Jacquard fabric. This isaccomplished by the present invention even with a four-color patternbeing formed where eight feeder stations are required for a repeat ofthe pattern on the reverse side. In accordance with the presentinvention, the pattern is repeated four times in the first thirty-twofeeder stations, the last four feeder stations in the first revolution,and the first four feeder stations of the second revolution of the dialform together to create a fifth repeat of the pattern. The lastthirty-two feeder stations in the second revolution form the last fourrepeats of the pattern in the second revolution. In accordance with thisinvention, each station or feeder has an electromagnetic selectormechanism for controlling the needles in that station. In the example ofa four-color fabric, the needles are controlled such that each needlethat knitted at a given station in the first revolution, welts in thatstation in the second revolution, and each needle that welted in a givenstation during the first revolution of the dial knits in the secondrevolution of the dial at that station. Accordingly, each needle in tworevolutions will move through seventy-two feeder stations and thepattern will be repeated nine times.

In accodance with the present invention, the electromagnetic selectormechanism operates to move a needlemoving jack relative to theassociated needle as the needlemoving jack moves past theelectromagnetic selector mechanism. -A selector mechanism is located atthe beginning of each station so that each jack moves thereby as thejack enters a station. The selector mechanism operates to position thejack and the jack remains in that position as it is advanced through theknitting station to effect movement of the knitting needle associatedtherewith in accordance with the position of the cams at that station.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is theprovision of a new and improved dial mechanism which includes anelectromagnetic selector mechanism for controlling the operation of thedial needles as the dial needles rotate through the various stations sothat all dial stations can be utilized when knitting the reverse side ofa Jacquard fabric.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new andimproved dial mechanism, as noted in the next preceding paragraph,wherein needle moving jacks are pivotally associated with each needleand a selector mechanism is located at each dial station and is operableto pivot the needle-moving jacks associated with the dial needles asthey enter a station to thereby control the operation of the needles asthey move through the station.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of anew and improved mechanism for pivoting a needle-moving jack for a dialneedle relative to the dial needle in order to position a butt on theneedle-moving jack in a given cam track as the needle-moving jack moveswith the dial, and wherein the mechanism which efforts the pivotingmovement comprises a selector mechanism which includes a pair ofvertical sliders which move vertically in response to horizontalmovement of another slider.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a new andimproved selector mechanism for effecting movement of a needle-movingjack, as noted in the next preceding paragraph, wherein the verticalsliders have ends thereon which comprise cam surfaces which engage theneedle-moving jacks as the jack move thereby to effect a pivotingmovement of the needle-moving jacks relative to the associated needles.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentto those skilled in the art to which it relates from the followingdetailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof made withreference to the 3 accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a portion of a dial mechanismfor a knitting machine schematically;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a portion of the dial mechanismincorporated in FIG. 1 and showing parts thereof in a given position;

FIG. 3 is a view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 2 with parts thereof ina different position;

FIG. 4 is another fragmentary sectional view of the dial mechanism for aknitting machine as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the mechanism shown in FIG. 4 with partsthereof in a different position; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation showing the operation of a givendial needle at each feeder in two rev0 lutions of the dial to provide atwilled reverse side on a four-color Jacquard fabric.

The present invention relates to a dial mechanism for a circularknitting machine, and particularly relates to a dial mechanism whichincludes a selector mechanism for selecting and controlling theoperation of the dial needles during successive revolutions of the dialneedles. By utilizing the present structure, all thirty-six stationsaround the dial can be utilized for providing a twilled reverse side ona cloth having a four-color pattern being formed therein.

As representing a preferred embodiment of the present invention, thedrawings illustrate a dial mechanism, generally designated 10. The dialmechanism 10 includes a dial member 11 which comprises a disk-likemember which carries a plurality of knitting needles 12. The knittingneedles 12 are rotatable with the dial member 11 and rotate through aplurality of knitting stations as the dial member 11 rotates. There arethirty-six knitting stations located around the circumference of thedial member 11 and through which each needle is advanced upon onerevolution of the dial member 11.

Each knitting needle 12 has either a long butt needlemoving jack 13a ora short needle-moving jack 13b associated therewith. The long and shortbutt needlemoving jacks are associated with alternate needles positionedaround the dial 11.

Each alternate knitting needle 12 having a long butt needle-moving jack13a associated therewith has a fulcrum portion 15 at the base thereofand which carries or engages in a central portion 16 of the long buttneedlemoving jack 13a. The portion 16 of the long butt needlemoving jack13a is pivotally connected or carried by the fulcrum 15 so as to providefor pivoting movement of the long butt needle-moving jack 13a relativeto the fulcrum 15. The opposite ends of the long butt needlemoving jack13a have ntedle-moving butts 20, 21, respectively, thereon. The butts20, 21 function in a manner to be described hereinbelow to effectmovement of the needle 12 as the needle moves with the dial through thevarious knitting stations. Each long butt needle jack also has a recess23 in the forward portion thereof and a recess 24 in the rear portionthereof adjacent the butts 20, 21, respectively, for a purpose to bedescribed hereinbelow.

Each short butt needle-moving jack 13b is similar in construction to thelong butt needle-moving jack 13a. Each short butt needle-moving jack 13bincludes a central portion 26 which is associated with the fulcrum 15 oneach needle 12 so as to provide for pivoting movement of the short buttneedle-moving jack 13b relative thereto. The opposite ends of the shortbutt needle-moving jack 13b include butts 30, 31, respectively, whichare positioned in alignment with the butts 20, 21 on the short buttneedle-moving jacks. The butts 30, 31 enter the same cam tracks whichthe butts 20, 21, respectively, enter a the various knitting stations,depending upon the position of the needle-moving jacks, Each short buttneedle-moving jack also includes a pair of recesses 33,

l 34 in the opposite portions thereof for a purpose to be describedhereinbelow.

The movement of the needles 12 as they are advanced through the variousknitting stations is effected by cams which are located at each station.At each station, there is a cam mechanism which defines a knitting camtrack and a welting cam track. The butts 20, 21 of the long buttneedle-moving jacks 13a enter into one of the cam tracks, respectively,so as to cause the knitting needle 12 associated with the long buttjacks 13a to either effect a knitting or welting as the needle traversesthrough that particular station. Likewise, the short butt needle-movingjacks 13b control the operation of the alternate needles with which theyare associated due to the fact that butts 30, 31 thereon are received ineither the knitting or welting cam track, respectively, as the needlesadvance through each knitting station.

Two successive knitting stations 39, 40 are illustrated schematically inFIG. 1. Each knitting station 39, 40 includes a cam means which definesa knitting cam track thereat and a welting cam track thereat. As shownschematically in FIG. 1, when the butts 21 or 31 of the long and shortbutt needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b, respectively, are received in awelting cam track 42 at the knitting station 39, the needles associatedwith those needle-moving jacks are moved to a welting position. This, ofcourse, will occur when the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b, respectively,are pivoted in a position where the butts 21, 31, respectively, thereonwill be received in the welding cam track 42. Moreover, in the eventthat the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b are pivoted so that the butts 20,30, respectively, thereon will be received in a knitting cam track 41 asthey traverse through the knitting station 39, the needles associatedtherewith will knit.

The cams at station 40 are located similarly to those at station 39. Thecams located at station 40 define a knitting cam track 51 and a weltingcam track 52. The knitting cam track 51 is positioned in alignment withthe knitting cam track 41 in station 39. The welting cam track 52 isaligned with the cam track 42 in the station 39. Each station alsoincludes a cam track 55 through which portion 16 of the needle-movingjacks 13a, 13]) move. The arrangement of cams shown in stations 39, 40is an exemplary schematic illustration and it should be understood thatthe cams may be positioned at each station differently so that eachneedle is controlled at that station by the positioning of the cams asdesired.

A suitable electromagnetic selector mechanism is located at thebeginning of each station. Only the selector mechanism at the beginningof station 39, however, is illustrated herein and will be describedhereinbelowv It should be understood that the selector mechanisms at theother stations are similar to that at station 39.

The electromagnetic selector mechanism at station 39 is generallydesignated 60 and illustrated in FIG. 2. The selector mechanism isoperable to pivot the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b relative to theirassociated needles and thereby control the positioning of the butts 20,21 and 30, 31 and thereby control which of the cam tracks 41, 42 theyenter. The selector mechanism 60 includes a mechanism 60a for operatingon the long butt needle-moving jacks 13a to effect pivoting thereof, anda mechanism 60b for operating on the short butt needle-moving jacks 13bto effect pivoting thereof. As noted above, the selector mechanisms 60a,6012 are located at the entry of station '39.

The mechanisms 60a, 601) are supported in a position above the dialmember 11 by a support member 61 which supports the cams which definethe cam tracks which receive the butts 20, 21 and 30, 31.

As noted above, each jack 13b is pivotal relative to the needle 12 withwhich it is associated about the fulcrum 15. If the needle-moving jack13b is pivoted in one direction about the fulcrum 15, the butt 31 ismoved into the position shown in FIG. 2 so as to be located in the camtrack 42 at station 39, and if the needle-moving jack 13b is pivoted inthe reverse direction, the butt 30 thereon is pivoted so as to belocated in the cam track 41 at station 39. The mechanism 60b effectsthis pivoting movement of the short butt needle-moving jack 13b.

The mechanism 6012 includes a pair of vertical slider members,designated 63, 64. The vertical slider members 63, 64 have bottom edgesurfaces which comprise cam surfaces which engage surfaces 65, 66,respectively, on the needle-moving jack 13]) as the needle-moving jack13b traverses around the dial. As shown in FIG. 2, the vertical slider63 is located in a lower position than the slider 64. As a result, theslider 63 will engage the surface 65 of the needle-moving jacks 13b andwill cause a pivoting of the jacks 13b in a counterclockwise directionabout the fulcrum 15 so as to position the butts 31 in the cam track 42and remove the butt so that it will not be engaged in the cam track 41.The slider 64 being in an upper position relative to the slider 63, doesnot interfere with this counterclockwise movement of the needle-movingjack 13b.

The vertical sliders 63, 64 are positioned for vertical sliding movementrelative to the support 61 and are associated at their upper ends with ahorizontally movable slider 70. The vertical sliders 63, 64 haveopenings 63a, 64a, respectively, therein through which the slider 70extends. The slider 70 has a surface portion 71 thereof in engagementwith the surface defining the opening 63a in the slider 63 and a portion72 in engagement with the surface defining opening 64a in the slider 64.In the event that the slider 70 is moved to the right, as shown in FIG.3, the surface 71a of the slider will move into the opening 63a in theslider 63 and result in a vertical shifting of the slider 63 in anupward direction. The surface 72a of the slider 70 will engage theopening in the slider 64 and cause the slider 64 to move downwardly. Asa result, the sliders 63, 64 will be changed in position from that shownin FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 3. In order to return thesliders 63, 64 to the position shown in FIG. 2, movement of the slider70 to the left from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shownin FIG. 2 will effect this movement. Upon such movement of the slider 70to the left, a tapered surface portion 71b of the slider will engage thesurface defining the opening 63a in the slider 63 and cause the slider63 to be forced downwardly, as shown in FIG. 3. The surface 721) on theslider 70 will engage the surface defining the opening 64a in the slider64 and cause a raising of the slider 64 vertically to the position shownin FIG. 2 from the position shown in FIG. 3. Accordingly, it should beapparent that horizontal sliding movement of the slider 70 will effect amovement or a positioning of the sliders 63, 64 in either the positionillustrated in FIG. 2 or the position illustrated in FIG. 3.

The slider 70 is moved in a horizontal direction between the positionsshown in FIGS. 2 and 3 by any suitable,

mechanism and in the preferred embodiment a suitable electromagneticmechanism 90 is associated with the slider 70 in order to effect thishorizontal movement of the slider 70. The electromagnetic mechanism 90includes a control rod member 91 which is pivoted at its upper end andat its lower end is received in a slot or groove 92 in the slider member70. The rod member 91 may be pivoted in opposite directions as indicatedby arrow 93, illustrated in FIG. 2. Upon pivoting movement of the member91, the slider 70, of course, is moved therewith due to the fact thatthe lower end of the member 91 is received in the slot 92 in the slidermember 70.

The member 91 is pivoted upon energization of an electrical coil 94which encircles the member 91. The electrical coil '94 is supportedinteriorly between a pair of permanent magnets 95, 96. Permanent magnets95, 96 are of opposite polarity, that is, the magnet 95 has its northpole located downwardly and its south pole located upwardly. Whereas,the magnet 96 is just the reverse, with the south pole located in thelower position and the north pole located upwardly. When current flowsthrough the coil 94 in one direction, the member 92 will be attractedtoward the north pole of the permanent magnet 95, whereas, when currentis flowed through the coil 94 in the reverse direction, the member 91 isattracted to the south pole of the permanent magnet 96. In this manner,the member 91 can be pivoted between its positions illustrated in FIG. 2and FIG. 3, and when so pivoted, the horizontal slider 70 is positionedin one of its two positions. It should be apparent from the above thatthe vertical sliders 63, 64 are located and moved between the positionsillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the position of the butts 30, 31 arecontrolled thereby.

The positioning of the needle-moving jacks 13a so that the butts 20, 21thereon engage in a desired cam track at station 39 is controlled by themechanism 60a which is very similar to the mechanism 60b describedhereinabove in connection with the control of the jacks 13b. Themechanism 60a which controls the positioning of the jacks 13a isillustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 and will not be described herein in detailin view of the similarity in structure to that described above inconnection with FIGS. 2 and 3. It should be clear, however, that themechanism 60a which operates to effect the positioning of the jacks 13aincludes a pair of vertical sliders 120, 12 1 which cooperate with ahorizontal slider 122, in the same manner as the vertical sliders 63, 64cooperate with the horizontal slider 70. The slider 122 is moved betweenits positions illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 by a control rod member 124which is associated therewith and which is pivoted to effect the slidingmovement of the slider 122 in a manner similar to that described abovein connection with the slider 70.

As illustrated in the drawings and noted above, the mechanisms 60a, 6%are located immediately in advance of the knitting station 39.Accordingly, as each long butt needle-moving jack 13a moves into thestation 39, the sliders 120, 121 will effect the positioning of theneedle-moving jacks 11301, as described hereinabove. Likewise, as eachshort butt needle-moving jack 13b enters the station 39, the sliders 63,64 will operate to position each short butt needle-moving jack 13b asdescribed hereinabove. The needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b will remain inposition through station 39. The friction in the pivot connection 15,coupled with the friction between the sides of the jacks and the dialparts defining the slots in which the jacks are located (as is known),maintains the jacks 13a, 13b in the position to which they are moved. Atthe entry of the next successive station 40, the jacks 13a, 13bencounter another selector mechanism. The position of the jacks may bechanged thereby or the jacks may remain in the same position that theyhad in station 39. In any event, the position of the jacks 13a, 13b maybe controlled by the selector mechanism at station 40 to control needleoperation at station 40. In a like manner, the needle operation at eachstation may be controlled.

The lower ends of the vertical sliders 120, 121 are positioned duringrotation of the dial so as to be aligned with the slots 33, 34 in theshort butt needle-moving jacks 13b and, thus, do not affect or engagethe short butt needle-moving jacks 13b. Likewise, the vertical sliders63, 64 are aligned with the slots 23, 24 in the long butt needle-movingjacks and, thus, the sliders 63, 64 do not engage or in any way affectthe position of the long butt needle-moving jacks 13a (see FIG. 1).

The present construction, as described hereinabove, provides for theselection and control of each dial needle at each station. The advantageof this construction can best be appreciated from reference to FIG. 6which, by way of example, pertains to the knitting of a four-colorJacquard fabric and the reverse side of the fabric is twilled. The dialmechanism operates to twill the reverse side, as noted above, and inorder to provide a twilled reverse side on a Jacquard fabric, eightknitting stations are necessary for providing a repeat of a pattern.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the long and short butt needles as they movethrough successive stations will either knit or welt. For example, inthe first, fourth, sixth and seventh station, all needles having longbutt jacks 13a will welt and in the second, third, fifth and eighthstations, all needles having long butt needle-moving jacks will knit.This is indicated by a blank or a K, respec tively, in FIG. 6. Theneedles having short butt jacks 13b will knit in station 1, 4, 6 and 7and will welt in stations 2, 3, 5 and 8. The short butt needles willknit in those stations where the long butt needles do not knit and willwelt in those stations where the long butt needles knit. Accordingly,the cams are arranged so that in a given repeat, namely, in a givensuccession of the first eight feeder stations, the needles associatedwith the short butt needle jacks will knit in stations 1, 4, 6 and 7,and the needles associated with the long butt jacks will knit instations 2, 3, 5 and 8 for each successive set of eight stations. Thepattern repeats are illustrated in FIG. 6 by brackets. It should beapparent from FIG. 6 that during the first revolution of the dial, therepeat of eight successive stations is effected four and one-half times.

During the second revolution, it is necessary for each knitting needlewhich knitted at a given station in the first revolution to not knit atthat station in the second revolution, and each knitting needle whichdid not knit at a given station in the first revolution to knit at thatstation during the second revolution. For example, as illustrated withrespect to station 1 in FIG. 6, the long butt needles at station 1 inthe first revolution do not knit. At station 1 in the second revolution,they do knit. And this follows through for each station of the thirtysixstations in the second revolution. As a result, repeating of the patterncontinues from the first revolution of the dial into the secondrevolution thereof. As a result, the last four stations of the firstrevolution and the fiist four stations of the second revolution of thedial comprise the fifth repeat of the pattern. The repeating of thepattern then continues in the second revolution for four additionalrepeats. As a result, nine repeats of the pattern can be effected duringtwo revolutions of the dial and all thirty-six stations around the dialcan be utilized as opposed to holding four of the stations in aninactive condition in order to provide the proper repeating orrepetition of the pattern.

In accordance with the present invention, the control mechanisms 60a,6011 which are associated with the long and short butt needle-movingjacks 13a, 13b, respectively, are effective under a suitable control toslide the sliders 70, 122 respectively, and effect movement of thevertical sliders so that all of the long and short needlemoving jacks13a, 13b which traverse thereby are changed in position. As a result,every needle-moving jack may be controlled as it enters each station tothereby control the needle operation in each station. The selectormechanisms are controlled to effect such operation. it should be clear,therefore, that for different fabrics, the dial needles can becontrolled as desired.

The description hereinabove refers to the needle-moving jacks 13a, 13b,respectively, as long and short butt needle-moving jacks. These termshave been given these jacks due to the fact that the actuating portionsof the jacks, which are engaged by the sliders which effect pivoting ofthe jacks, are spaced differently on the alternate jacks. For example,the surfaces of the long butt needle-moving jack 1312 which comprise theactuating portions which are engageable by the sliders 63 and 64 arespaced apart, as shown in FIG. 3, a distance equal to the spacingbetween the sliders 63 and 64. This spacing is substantially greater orlonger than the spacing between the actuating portions of the short buttneedle moving jacks 13a, which portions are engaged by the sliders 120,12], as shown in H0. 5. Accordingly, the

8 terms long and short butt needle-moving jacks have been given to thejacks 13b and 13a, respectively.

What is claimed is:

l. A dial mechanism for a knitting machine comprising a dial memberrotatable through a plurality of knitting stations, knitting needlescarried by said dial member, each of said knitting needles havingneedle-moving jacks associated therewith, certain of said needle-movingjacks being of one construction and certain of the other of saidneedle-moving jacks being of another construction, cam means located ateach knitting station and defining a knitting cam track and a weltingcam track, respectively, each of said needle-moving jacks having buttsthereon adapted to be received in one of said cam tracks as the jacksmove therethrough during one revolution of said dial, each of saidneedles either knitting or welting in each station during one revolutionof the dial member, first selectively actuatable means located at atleast one station for varying the position of all of said needle-movingjacks of said one construction relative to their associated needle asthey pass thereby, and second selectively actuatable means located at atleast one station for varying the position of all of said needle-movingjacks of said another construction relative to their associated needleas they pass thereby, said needle-moving jacks being pivotal relative totheir associated needle and having a pair of butts thereon, said buttsbeing engageable in said respective cam tracks to thereby controloperation of the associated needle, said first and second selectivelyactuatable means for varying the position of said needle-moving jacksrelative to their associated needle comprising means for effectingpivotal movement of each of said needle-moving jacks relative to theirassociated needle, each of said first and second means including a pairof slider members having a portion positionable in the path of movementof the respective needlemoving jacks of said one and anotherconstructions in order to effect pivotal movement thereof as they movethereby, and each of said first and second means including ahorizontally movable slider member which cooperates with each pair ofsaid vertical sliders and effects vertical movement of said verticalsliders upon horizontal sliding movement thereof.

2. A dial mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said first andsecond means includes electromagnetic means for effecting a horizontalsliding movement of said horizontal sliders.

3. A dial mechanism for a knitting machine comprising a dial memberrotatable through a plurality of knitting stations, knitting needlescarried by said dial member, each of said knitting needles having aneedle-moving jack pivotally associated therewith, certain of saidneedlemoving jacks being of one construction and certain of the other ofsaid needle-moving jacks being of another construction, cam means ateach station defining a knitting cam track and a welting cam track,respectively each of said needle-moving jacks having butts thereonadapted to be received in one of said cam tracks as the jacks move withsaid dial, each of said needle-moving jacks being pivotal to locate abutt thereon in said knitting or welting cam track, and means adjacentat least one of said stations and energizable to effect pivotal movementof all of the needle-moving jacks so as to control the positioning ofthe butts thereof in said cam tracks as they pass thereby, said meansfor varying the position of the needle-moving jacks comprising amechanism for effecting pivotal movement of the needle-moving jacks ofsaid one construction and a second mechanism for effecting pivotalmovement of the needle-moving jacks of said another constructionrelative to their associated needles, each of said mechanisms includinga pair of slider members having a portion positionable in the path ofmovement of the respective needle-moving jacks of said one and anotherconstructions in order to effect pivotal movement thereof as they movethereby, and each of said mechanisms including a horizontally movableslider member which cooperates with each pair of said vertical slidersand effects vertical movement of said sliders upon horizontal slidingmovement of said horizontal sliders.

4. A dial mechanism for a knitting machine comprising a dial memberrotatable through a plurality of knitting stations, knitting needlescarried by said dial member, each of said knitting needles having aneedle-moving jack associated therewith, cam means at each knittingstation defining a knitting cam track and a welting carn track, eachneedle-moving jack having a pair of ibutts thereon each of which isadapted to be received in one of said cam tracks, each of saidneedle-moving jacks being movable relative to its associated knittingneedle between a knitting position and a welting position, and means forselectively moving said needle-moving jacks to position one butt thereonin one of said cam tracks, said last-recited means comprising a pair ofvertically movable slider members relatively positionable in the path ofmovement of said needle-moving jacks and selectively operable to effectmovement of said jacks between said knitting and welting positions uponmovement thereof thereby, a horizontally movable slider cooperable withsaid pair of vertically movable slider members for effecting verticalmovement of said sliders upon horizontal 10 sliding movement of saidhorizontal slider, and electromagnetic selector means actuatable toeffect horizontal movement of said horizontally movable slider.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,472,287 10/1969 Ribler 66-75 UX2,025,462 12/1935 Lombardi 66-50 2,025,463 12/1935 Lombardi 66-50 A2,025,464 12/1935 Lombardi 66-50 3,262,285 7/1966 Beguin et a1. 66-503,499,300 3/1970 Zahradka 66-50 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,499,339 7/1966 France66-50 1,546,919 10/1968 France 66-50 272,307 6/1927 Great Britain 66-50461,016 2/1937 Great Britain 66-25 OTHER REFERENCES Knitted OuterwearTimes, vol. 37, N0. 42, Oct. 7, 1968, pp. 56-60.

WILLIAM CARTER REYNOLDS, Primary Examiner

